Fate
by LasVegasSarah
Summary: You asked for it: a happy ending for all my readers! The final installment of my three part series! Enjoy!


**Hey! Wow, I have to say, I am staggered by your support and I'm so pleased everyone is enjoying my writing! So this is the next bit, some of you cried out for a happy ending (my partner included!) so... your wish is my command! I listen to feedback, so any suggestions I'll take on board! Anyway, my partner Beta'd this for me because I was having a few issues, (I think I read it too many times!) so I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for all your reviews and favourites, keep 'em coming!**

**Disclaimer: Character's aren't mine sadly!**

Catherine changed the channels on the TV absent-mindedly, unable to concentrate on anything for any length of time. Her wine glass had been empty for a few minutes but she proceeded to lift the glass to her lips anyway. Sighing, she heaved herself up off the settee and to the immaculate kitchen to dispose of the glass changing her mind at the sink, she wanted another glass. It had been a difficult day, and she convinced herself that another glass wouldn't harm anyone. It was sunny out, so she took her glass outside and sat on a lounger on the decking. Although it was still early morning, it was clearly going to be another scorching day. Sighing again, she took a large mouthful of her wine and shut her eyes, allowing the warm sensation to calm her nerves. It didn't last for long as Lindsay quickly joined her mother in the garden.

'What are you drinking?' She crept up behind Catherine startling her a little.

'Wine.' Catherine answered simply.

'It looks like apple juice.' Lindsay smiled as she wandered down the garden to play with her doll in the shade. Catherine beamed as she watched her daughter re-enact a medical examination on her favourite doll. Lindsay was the best thing to have ever happened to her; The best thing to have come from her relationship with Eddie. Lindsay was her world, and it saddened her that her sister was coming to pick her up in ten minutes.

'Lindsay Willows, I think it's about time you got your things ready for Aunt Nancy!' she shouted down the garden.

'Yeah, OK Mom.' she rolled her eyes in return.

'Don't give me that!' Catherine laughed, 'get your stuff, and bring the Sun Screen down with you, it's gonna be a hot one, I don't want you burning!'

Catherine sighed and drained her full glass before sauntering inside. There was a knock on the door and she made her way through the house.

'You're ten minutes early' she trailed off when she realised the caller wasn't Nancy.

'Hey.' The Brunette stood with her hands in her pockets and looked up awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot.

'What do you want Sara?' Catherine groaned.

'SARA!' Lindsay squealed and practically jumped down the stairs to greet the thin woman at the front door.

'Hey squirt.' Sara answered with a genuine smile. For all Catherine didn't understand what she had walked in on earlier that day, she understood her daughter's love for Sara. She smiled gently, but straightened her face when Sara looked up to her from her position on a level with the Willows child. 'I was hoping we could talk?' Ensuring that her tone was apt for Lindsay's hearing, Catherine carefully answered with a fixed smile.

'I don't think there's anything to talk about, Sara.' Ruffling Lindsay's hair she spoke to her daughter, 'Do you have everything you need?'

'I forgot.' Lindsay sighed before slowly making her way upstairs.

Sara pushed past the older woman and straight into the dining kitchen.

'Oh come in!' Catherine yelled after her, more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Shutting the front door, she followed the younger woman through to her dining room. 'Say whatever you have to say, then leave, Sara.' She sighed, sitting at the breakfast bar. The exhaustion was evident in her voice and the exasperation and irritation were evident in her face. She was lucky however that the torment and torture that she felt in her heart wasn't visible. She needed a cigarette.

'I want to explain.' Sara started. 'I... Er... Well,' even though she'd spent the last few hours rehearsing every word that she had planned to say, she was struggling. 'What's your problem?' That wasn't what she'd planned on saying at all.

'MY PROBLEM? WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM SARA? YOU'RE THE ONE STEALING MY CLOTHES AND SNEAKING CREEPY MOMENTS WITH THEM!' Catherine erupted. If Sara had come just to have an argument with her, she clearly didn't know who she was dealing with.

'Catherine.' Sara tried, 'I need you to understand.'

'Hey Cath?' A voice echoed down the hall.

Catherine took a deep breath and calmed her nerves.

'In here!' She yelled to her sister.

'Oh hey.' Nancy swayed in to the room placing a soft kiss on Catherine's cheek. 'Sara, I didn't see you there!' Nancy giggled excitably, 'I'm so glad you both finally saw sense! Catherine was so happy after that day she had with you!'

Catherine hung her head and hid her eyes from the brunette across from her. Sara smiled gently.

'Uh, we're not quite there yet Nancy, but that's why I'm here.' She said slowly hoping that Catherine wouldn't blow up in front of her sister. The strawberry blonde looked at her, a little confusion spreading across her face. 'I made a mistake, and I'm here to rectify it,' She now knew that if she was going to get a word in this conversation, it would have to be now, whilst Nancy was here, 'I need this woman in my life, more than she knows, and I'm here to win her love.'

'Jesus, Sara.' Catherine exhaled, hiding her head in her hands.

'It's true, Catherine.' Sara almost whispered, 'you have to believe me.'

'I don't have to believe anything.' The older woman snorted.

Neither had noticed that Nancy stood in the doorway, studying them both intensely. Lindsay joined her in the doorway and tugged on her linen trousers.

'Are you ready to go?' Nancy urged quietly.

'Yes.' Lindsay answered enthusiastically, 'I'll just go say goodbye to Mom.'

Catherine was startled by her daughter tugging on her t-shirt.  
>'Are you going to Aunt Nancy's now?' She enquired with a smile.<p>

'Yeah, bye mom.' Lindsay smiled, hugging into her mother, she whispered in to her ear, 'IS everything OK Mommy?'

Catherine laughed at her daughters perception. 'Yeah Linds, everything's fine.'

Lindsay smiled and stepped back before waving her goodbye to Sara and joining Nancy in the doorway.

'I'll have her back by tomorrow afternoon,' Nancy began, leaning in for a kiss, 'I believe her.'

The strawberry blonde shot her a look that didn't need any explanation. 'See you tomorrow.'

The house was again quiet. Neither woman lifted their eyes from the table, neither woman spoke a word for five minutes.

Sara broke the silence.

'Are you going to say anything?'

All she received was a cold blue stare, her question remaining unanswered. The older woman stood and made her way to the counter, opening a new bottle of wine. Two glasses were filled, one of them for Sara and she took the other to the other side of the room. Standing with her back against the wall, she watched Sara take a small sip and close her eyes.

'Why are you here?' Catherine finally sighed.

'You know why I'm here.' Sara opened her eyes. Catherine caught them glistening in the sun. Sara had fought back tears for as long as she could, but it seemed as though she was fighting a losing battle. She couldn't help feeling as though she'd made a huge mistake, and hadn't just lost the love of her life but also a friend. Sure, they hadn't always seen eye to eye, but their friendship had greatly improved. Sara hadn't had many friends in her lifetime, and very few of the friends she had had were female. She relished her friendship with Catherine, it was the girly friendship she'd always been too stubborn to follow.

'I need you to tell me.' Catherine said in a hushed tone.

'I already told you!' Sara cried. The tears fell freely now. She was no longer afraid to show her weaknesses; it could be the only way to get through to Catherine. Sure enough, Catherine was jarred by the sight before her. Her eyes widened as she watched the strong, pig-headed Sara Sidle break down in front of her. She softened her approach a little.

'No, Sara, you didn't tell me, you told my sister.'

Sara glanced up and took a deep breath.

'I need you.' she began shakily, 'I need your slightly wonky smile, I need your expressive eyes, I need your strength.'

Catherine allowed a tear to fall before brushing it away roughly.

'Why couldn't you have told me this two weeks ago? You only want me because someone else has me.' Catherine scoffed, trying to convince herself.

'I was scared.' Sara bawled. 'I was so scared of losing you if you didn't feel the same way.' she'd never been so frank with anyone. Her mind begged her to stop speaking but her mouth ran like a steam train.

'What changed?' Catherine whimpered.

'I figure I've already lost your friendship, I have nothing else to lose.' The brunette said honestly before downing her glass. Taking a deep breath she started again, 'I realised at some point last week, I don't remember the last time I woke up thinking of anyone else. I don't remember a time when I didn't get ready for work with the sole purpose of impressing you.'

Catherine had slid down the wall and was now sitting on the floor, her head buried in her knees. Sara joined her.

'I can't do this, Sara.' the strawberry blonde wept.

'Yes you can.' Sara pleaded.

'I don't know how to deal with this.' Catherine reiterated.

Sara leant over and pulled Catherine's hands from her face.

'Do you love me?' the brunette asked directly.

'What?' Catherine stopped crying and furrowed her brows in confusion. This was not a question she had been expecting. Now she was trying to hold back her own questions, not from Sara but from herself. She'd ignored that potential question for two weeks; dating other people, having sex with men. The truth was, she didn't know how she was supposed to react if she answered that question and discovered that she did love Sara.

'Do you love me?' Sara asked a second time.

'I don't know. No.' Catherine spluttered, her cerulean eyes met Sarah's dark ones and she freed her mind, allowing herself to think more honestly. 'YES.'

'What?' Sara coughed, having made her peace with the older woman's first decision.

'Yes Sara, I do love you.' Catherine moved in close and caught the brunettes tears with her lips.

'I love you Catherine Willows.' Sara sobbed.

There was a lot to consider. Catherine had a young daughter who had already had a lot to deal with in her short life. Sara had a past with Gil she'd have to approach softly and they both had to tackle the work issue, but for now, the only thing that mattered was their new romance. They'd both had their share of tragic circumstances throughout their lives, maybe it was fate that they had found each other? Maybe, in order for them to move on with their lives, they were meant to fall in love. In the future, maybe they wouldn't still be together but right now, that didn't matter.

Curled up on the floor in Catherine's dining room, the female CSI's didn't move until they had to get ready for work. Neither woman understood why it had taken them so long to get to this point. It was easy, obvious even. It didn't really matter though; living their life freely for once was more important than the issues they'd had in the past, or what they might encounter in the future.


End file.
